MEDIA STATEMENT
TO: ALL MEDIA
ATT: NEWS EDITORS, HEALTH REPORTERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, 07 SEPTEMBER 2015
RODENTICIDES A COMMON AGENT IN ATTEMPTED SUICIDES: GAUTENG
HEALTH
Gauteng Health has revealed shocking statistics from 10 state-run mortuaries
showing a rise in attempted suicides using rat poison available on the streets, in the
Province.
Deaths due to poison rose from 362 in 2012/13 to 516 in 2014/15. Bheki Mlangeni
District Hospital attended to 40 cases of attempted suicide in July 2015, alone. The
poison of choice seems to be rodenticides which are superwarfarins and commonly
known as “halephirimi”. However, alternate forms of rodenticides are imported
illegally into the country and may be ingested either accidentally or in suicide
attempts.
“This
is
one
of
the
truly
unpleasant
poisons,
along
with
Paracetamol/Acetylminopren. Rat poisoning causes general bodily bleeding
including cerebral, peritoneal and organs with a high likelihood of death,” said Dr
Richard Lebethe, Acting Deputy Director-General: Clinical Services. “In many
instances people arrive at hospitals with minimal chances of survival and many die in
agony or are sent to intensive care units.”
According to World Health Organization (WHO), a suicide occurs every 40 seconds
and an attempt is made every 3 seconds. In South Africa the average suicide is 17.2
per 100 000 (8% of all deaths). This relates only to deaths reported by academic
hospitals.
We cannot measure the pain caused to relatives and family members when
someone decides to cut short their life by suicide, said the department. The
department wishes to advise parents and relatives about the easy access, to people, of
the rat poisons. “The poison is available on the streets and those who die from suicide
have attempted it before.”
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Rat poisoning, with suicide intentions, causes organophosphate like poisoning which
includes severe abdominal pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe oral secretions and lung
secretions. These patients tend to look lots of fluids by literally pouring fluids from
everywhere.
There are specialised health interventions that could help save those who attempt suicide by
drinking rat poison, however this is dependent on the timing of the intervention. In most
cases, patients arrive late and when they are saved they may develop neurological side
effects including psychosis.
ENDS
For more information please contact Steve Mabona 072 574 3860
For media enquiries, please use the address: mediaenquiries@gauteng.gov.za
For media releases, speeches and news visit the Gauteng Department of
Health’s portal at www.health.gpg.gov.za;
Issued by Gauteng Department of Health